


Valor

by Loremaiden



Category: Sherlock (TV), Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms
Genre: Community: watsons_woes, JWP 2014 practice prompt, Pre-Series, Prompt Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-12
Updated: 2014-06-12
Packaged: 2018-02-06 22:56:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 265
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1875600
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Loremaiden/pseuds/Loremaiden
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><i>Do some volunteer work,</i> his therapist had said last session.  <i>It'd be good for you.</i></p>
            </blockquote>





	Valor

**Author's Note:**

> Written in response to JWP Practice Prompt #9 (Charity) on Watson's Woes. Takes place before Season 1.
> 
> Charity: We know ACD Watson volunteered for the military, and volunteered to be Holmes' biographer, and went to great lengths to help others. We know Holmes solved cases for nothing, and showed great compassion at times to technically guilty parties. What other good works did they do? Whether it's a Victorian good deed, or a modern campaign such as this indiegogo campaign to help save the bees , have a character volunteer, or show them engaged in some act of charity.

_Do some volunteer work_ , his therapist had said last session. _It'd be good for you._

John couldn't muster the energy to remind her that volunteering was what earned him the cane in the first place.

Still, he knew keeping busy was better than staring at the walls, so here he was at Forbury Gardens, wearing a neon-yellow vest with a trash spear in his hand.

_Not so bad_ , he thought as he got into the groove of it. _At least it's nice out._

But within thirty minutes his leg felt as if it was on fire. And the other volunteers had moved farther off, leaving him alone. Leaving him behind.

He barely kept his head above the sudden wave of rage and self-pity as he limped towards the nearest park bench. His right hand gripped his cane like a lifeline while the left threw down the spear in disgust.

That was when he saw the memorial.

Despite the pain, John gave into his curiosity and slowly made his way to the gigantic lion. The iron beast was sculpted to be in mid-stride, completely confident in his position as king of the animals. His stance was proud, defiant, and protective of the names he guarded.

As John silently read the inscription, he was aware of his body answering to the old habit of standing at attention. When he finished reading all 329 names, he gave a salute to the fallen of Kandahar, Girishk and Maiwand.

He would not forget his fellow volunteers.

And he picked his spear back up and walked to the next cleanup section.


End file.
